Rain
by ThirteenStrikes
Summary: Join a certain Al Bhed girl as she wanders around Luca windowshopping. You'll have to read the rest to find out! Rikku x Baralai Oneshot


Author's Note:  
Hey people... Um... I know you're quite upset that I haven't updated "Following Your Heart"... but it's REALLY hard... I'm stuck in this Tidus part... and you know how hard it is right? And I've been having SOOOO much homework these days... I swear, high school just sucks. S-U-C-K-S.

Anyways, here's a little Barikku oneshot that I accidentally started. And I can't just leave something unfinished ya know...hehe... Well, hope you guys like it. It's kinda long...cuz it's nine and a half pages in MsWord... But oh well.  
(BTW, sorry if I have wrong grammar/spelling and etc...)

* * *

Rain

A familiar Al Bhed girl was walking through the busy streets of Luca that early afternoon. With countless things to buy and a pocketful of gil, she wandered aimlessly from shop to shop with enthusiasm, eager to discover what each one had to offer.

There were numerous people that day, doing what they usually do in their everyday lives ---- from buying fresh fruits and vegetables to prepare for the night's dinner, to simply window-shopping with their family and friends.

As Rikku walked along, quite a lot of people recognized her. With a smile on her face and a short wave back, she continued strolling down the pebbled walkway, eyes shooting here and there to anything that attracted her.

Walking past a café, she caught sight of a little shop next to it. Its walls were of red brick with two small four-paned windows and a glass door big enough for only one person to go through at a time. However, it seemed as if no one could see the building, for they simply walked pass it and ignored its presence. There was a huge contrast between it and the bustling café next door. Full of interest, Rikku walked over to the house and peered through the window.

Inside, she saw a counter, several cabinets, and shelves, all full of sundry decorative items and knick knacks. Ranging from notebooks, phonebooks, and pens, to bookmarks, picture frames, and refrigerator magnets, her eyes darted across the objects in the room with fascination.

Deciding she'd get a better look indoors, she pulled her green orbs away from the windowpane and walked to the door. It amazed her that such a wonderful shop received no visitors at all.

She place a hand on the steel handle and was about to push the door open, when she saw a 'closed' sign hanging on it from the inside.

"Awwww..." she said with disappointment as she drew back her hand and pouted.

_No wonder there's no one here...it's not even open!_ she thought to herself with a sigh.

She was about to turn and leave, but something to her left caught her eye. On a nearby table stood two colored clay figures about six inches tall. They consisted of a boy and a girl ---- _the boy_ with his two arms holding out his coat over the girl; as well as over his own head, and _the girl_, who was standing on her tiptoes, kissing the boy on the lips. The light blue droplets on top of the coat and on the ground showed that it was raining quite hard.

Rikku stood at the door and admired the clay dolls for a while. It was such a cute scene to look at, and it gave her a warm feeling inside.

Several moments had passed, and she sighed again.

_Too bad the shop's closed... If it was open, I'd buy it... _she thought.

Turning away, she began her walk back to the main city streets.

_If I have time, I'll come back tomorrow. The shop might be open by then._ she decided.

Once again, the Al Bhed girl walked aimlessly through the streets of Luca. With her thoughts deep on the clay figures and her eyes on the ground, she didn't really concentrate on where she was going.

All of a sudden, she felt a person bump into her. The shock had caused her to jump a bit, and when she finally looked up, she saw a familiar face.

"Oh my...I'm terribly sorry...I ---- "

"Baralai?" said Rikku with a smile tugging at her lips.

"Miss Rikku!" he replied with surprise as he recognized her face. "Oh, I...uh...apologize for...crashing into you like that...I...just can't seem to see where I'm going..."

She laughed. "It's alright, I'm okay. Stop worrying," she said, trying to calm him down. "So...what's the Praetor of New Yevon doing here in Luca?"

She continued walking and Baralai followed right beside her.

"Well...it's quite a long story..." he answered diffidently.

"I've got time," she said with a smile.

The both of them made their way past the Luca market to a park with a nearby river. It was a public place where many people spend time with their families. Children's laughter could be heard from afar as the Al Bhed and the Yevonite walked up a bridge that stretched across the body of water.

"Well, you see..." started the young praetor shyly.

* * *

"...so I came here and went to the tailor to get the hole in my robe mended," he explained, blushing faintly. "Quite farfetched, isn't it...?" 

His companion laughed after listening to his story. "Not really. Trust me, I've heard crazier ones," she told him with a grin.

Baralai smiled. He wasn't really close with Rikku ---- just an acquaintance ---- and hearing that she believed him was something unexpected. Seeing her happy-go-lucky attitude, he thought he'd like to get to know her a little bit more. This would be a great opportunity to make a new friend.

"...So, it's my turn to ask. What might the cousin of Lady Yuna be doing here when she's supposed to be spherehunting?" he asked amusedly.

The Al Bhed girl giggled childishly. "Hey, I gotta take a break sometimes ya know!" she said pushing him playfully on the arm. "A girl needs to have time to go shopping once in a while."

Baralai smiled one of his charming smiles then looked down at the flowing water below.

"And you have enough gil to spend freely on whatever you wish to purchase?" he questioned her jokingly.

"Of course I do! I went training yesterday, and I was fighting fiends for hours!" she told him. "It was so tiring...but rewarding in the end."

She imitated Baralai, leaning on the railing and turned to face him him.

"Try to guess how much gil I earned!" she asked with a winsome grin planted on her face.

The praetor put a hand on his chin. "Hmmm...Well... I'd say, approximately two thousand gil?" he estimated.

"Nope! I got four thousand! And if I add that with the gil I already have, that makes sixty five thousand!" she exclaimed with pride, raising her arms for emphasis.

"Sixty five thousand gil? That is quite a lot," he said with surprise.

"Didn't think I'd earn so much, did you?" asked the blonde headed girl, nudging his side with her elbow.

"Honestly...no. But are you sure Paine didn't help you in fighting the fiends?" he asked, smiling.

"You don't believe me? Fine! Let's have a competition next time to see who can earn the most gil in two hours," she challenged him, holding out her hand. "Deal?"

Baralai looked at her and laughed slightly, taking her hand in his. "Alright, deal," he agreed.

"But don't be surprised if you won't get to do much shopping today," he told her, chuckling. "On Sundays, the shops are closed by two, and it's already two forty five."

The girl in front of him just stood there with a gaping mouth.

"What!" she shouted. "That's so unfair! They were open just a few minutes ago!"

"Rikku, we've stood here for nearly an hour..." said her companion.

She looked down and sighed heavily. "Oh well...guess I'll just come back tomorrow," she muttered disappointedly. "I've planned on coming back again anyways..."

She leaned on the railings and stared into the water again.

"You know..." said the thief as she began to make a conclusion in her mind. "If I didn't bump into you, I would have been able to continue shopping until the shops closed!"

Baralai blinked unbelievably. "So this is entirely _my_ fault...?" he asked, astounded.

She laughed. "Yup. So now, you owe me," she said informatively. "Hmmm...let's see what I want... A new pair of gloves? No wait...how about..."

The praetor sighed as he continued to listen to the rambling Al Bhed girl about what she wanted in return for occupying her shopping time.

_This is going to be a LONG day...

* * *

_

After five minutes of useless talking, Rikku finally gave up and said she'll tell him when she had decided. And so the both of them continued to talk about random subjects...sometimes adding a thing or two about themselves. However, they were so absorbed in their conversation that they hadn't noticed the change in the sky's color from sky blue to dark gray. They weren't even aware that no one was out in the park or in the streets anymore, just them. Houses were beginning to close their windows, and the residents were collecting laundry that used to be hung outside to dry.

The Al Bhed and the Yevonite were only snapped out of their talking when they felt tiny droplets of water falling from the dark clouds above them.

"It's raining," stated the praetor, looking up at the gloomy sky. "We'd better get ---- "

They saw a bright flash of lighting, which was soon followed by a loud roar of thunder.

Rikku whimpered and immediately hugged Baralai's arm, the closest thing beside her.

Her friend laughed quietly at her phobia. "Are you scared?" he questioned, looking down at her.

She blushed. "Um...no... Just a little...shaken, that's all..." she responded nervously.

Then there was another flash of lighting. Predicting what would happen soon, Rikku gripped onto his arm tighter and closed her eyes. They heard another loud thunder. This time, it was so loud they felt the bridge shake underneath their feet. More and more droplets fell from the sky, pelting the ground with noisy splashes.

"Don't be afraid. I'm here," whispered Baralai, taking Rikku's hand in his. He wasn't sure if she heard him through the growing sound of the rain, but it didn't really matter.

Then he pulled her off the bridge, and ran.

**He** didn't know where to find a place that could shelter them from the rain...but he didn't want her to get all wet...so he just kept running and kept searching, never loosening his grip on her hand.

**She** wasn't sure where he was taking her...but she wasn't afraid, because she did hear what he had whispered earlier. So she followed him willingly, never loosening her grip on his hand.

As they ran through the pouring rain, Rikku took a glance up at the man who was holding tightly onto her hand and dragging her to who knows where.

Then an unexpected feeling overcame her. But...it was...quite strange...

What was this feeling...? She kept finding a word to describe it, but nothing really fitted.

She felt him tightening his grip, and that was when she realized how warm his hand was even in the cold rain. A tingling sensation shot up her arm as she felt his warmth.

..._Why do I feel like shuddering right now...? _she thought, trying to control herself.

The tingling on her arm didn't stop, and it was beginning to feel slightly ticklish. After several moments passed, it began to be unbearable.

She knew this 'tingly' thing was all because of Baralai's hand...but then...she didn't want to let go.

Sure, it felt extremely ticklish...but it made her feel comfortable in a way, and somewhat secure...as if nothing could harm or scare her while she's with him.

This strange feeling...drove Rikku crazy. She didn't know what to do. Her mind was mixed up in a bunch of emotions... And as every single second of holding his hand passed, it got worse.

* * *

Baralai kept running through the rain, finding a suitable shelter for the two of them. It was kind of awkward...him pulling Cid's daughter all around the city of Luca...and she not complaining a bit about it.

But somehow...he felt contented ---- contented that he was holding her hand...contented that she was with him. He just liked the feeling of being beside her. It made him...happier, and he hadn't felt so stress-free in a long time.

After several monotonous moments of running, he began to feel tired, and his robe was already half soaked from the rainwater. To his relief, he soon spotted a small open awning sticking out on the side of an old building. ((Think of an awning that only has room for two persons to stand under.)) Quickening his pace, they soon reached the shelter and hid themselves from the rain.

Trying to catch his breath again, he took a short glance at Rikku to find her doing the same. When their heartbeats finally returned to normal, Baralai looked up at the gray clouds in the heavens.

"Um...I...apologize about that..." he said humbly, turning to her.

The Al Bhed girl smiled in return. "Ah...it's alright," she replied with a blush of her own.

Then the both of them looked out into the streets where rain was pouring heavily.

They saw a flash of light and Rikku immediately stood as close as she could to the praetor. A loud thunder followed, and like the last time, the ground trembled beneath their feet.

Baralai looked up nonchalantly at the awning and suddenly saw that the cover of the awning was actually bent down from the weight of the water it was holding on top.

When he quickly pulled Rikku's body towards his and took several steps backwards, the cover broke through, and what seemed like a whole tub of water came down with a noisy splash.

Rikku looked back with amazement and realized that she had just been saved from drowning in rainwater. But the problem now was that they no longer had a shelter.

The praetor immediately ransacked every thought in his mind to find what he could do, but the rain was getting harder every second.

_Ah…what the heck!_ he thought, not caring anymore.

Without a second thought, he took of his robe and flung it over Rikku, sticking only his head under the piece of clothing. It was the only thing that could keep them from getting any wetter.

Surprised by his sudden action, the blonde girl stood still with her eyes wide open.

_Something about this seems extremely familiar..._she thought.

A silent gasp escaped her lips as she recalled about something earlier that day. _The clay figures!_

A blush crept up to her cheeks as she remembered what the girl was doing to the boy.

_No! Don't do it Rikku! You're getting yourself into big trouble here!_ her mind warned.

But...she...wanted to do it. Something inside her just made her 'click'.

_Fine, don't listen. Do whatever you want, but it's your fault to blame later on. _her mind told her.

Finally pushing those thoughts aside, Rikku inched closer to the praetor and looked up into his hazel eyes.

Sinking deep into his warm orbs, she froze.

The sounds of splashing around them vanished ---- already muffled ---- and all they could focus on was each other.

She placed a soft hand on his face, then tiptoed closer to him until their lips met.

Baralai widened his eyes with shock as he stared at Rikku's closed eyelids. He really didn't know what to do.

_But...her lips... They're so...inviting..._

He just couldn't help but deepen the kiss more, closing his eyes too.

Rikku felt her arm wrap around his neck while the other one grabbed onto his shirt. A warm and ticklish sensation shot through her whole body as they kissed, the same feeling she felt when he was holding her hand. It was obvious that if she didn't have anything to support her body, her knees would've given in and she'd fall onto the ground.

Baralai too felt this warmth, and it wasn't long before he felt his arms weakening. Unable muster enough strength to fight the tingling inside his body, he felt his arms slowly lower his robe behind Rikku. Desperately clutching onto the piece of clothing with one hand, he slid his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him.

The rain kept falling on them, but they didn't take any heed of it. Nothing could ruin this perfect moment ---- it was too perfect to be true.

Several moments had passed, and to them, every single second seemed like an eternity. To their disappointment, however, the couple soon parted, both lost in each other's eyes and gasping for breath.

The two of them suddenly snapped out of their speechless state and took a shy step away from each other, planting their eyes on the wet ground below.

Baralai felt blood rush to his cheeks as he looked up to find once gloomy sky turn sunny again. Guess they were too..._occupied..._ to notice that the rain had already stopped.

_Which brings up something... _he thought.

He looked down at his wet and soggy robe, which was _supposedly_ used to shield them from the rainwater. Then he took a short glance at the Al Bhed girl beside him and realized for the first time that both of them were soaking wet.

The praetor quietly cleared his throat. "Uh...I...uh...I'm sorry...f-for...getting you all...wet..." he apologized humbly with a faint blush.

Rikku looked up at the sound of his voice. "Um...it's...it's okay..." she replied smiling weakly.

_It was my fault for kissing you in the first place..._ she thought to herself with slight embarrassment.

All of a sudden, they heard the opening and closing of doors as people came back out of their homes. Children were coming out to play in the sun again, running all around the park.

Then Baralai again broke the silence between them. "Um... I'd...better get going... I have to go back to Bevelle and...uh... continue some...unfinished work..." he told her, full of hesitation.

Somehow, both of them knew clearly that it was just an excuse.

She forced a nervous laugh. "And...we better change into dry clothes before we catch a cold or something..."

Both of them, like two young coy teenagers, stood facing each other, searching for anything else to set their eyes upon other than the person in front of them.

Then Rikku looked up. It was her turn to break the silence this time.

"So...um...see ya later... And t-thanks...I...really had fun today..." she blurted out. Then she felt like smacking herself in the face.

Before she embarrassed herself even more, she forced her stiff legs to turn around and walked towards the main streets.

Baralai looked after her, and made a split-second decision. "Rikku...wait," the praetor called after her without a second thought.

With a hand rubbing the back of his neck habitually, he walked up to her.

_I can't believe I'm doing this... Baralai, you're such an idiot..._ he thought.

"Uh...R-Rikku..." he stuttered.

She looked up at him, hoping that he wasn't going to say anything bad. "Yeah?" she asked in reply.

He gulped. "Uh...A-Are you...um...f-free...this S-Sat-turday...?" he asked her with a hint of hope in his voice.

She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

_Is HE asking ME out on a DATE!_ she wondered with astonishment.

She felt her heart sink to her stomach. She had been waiting for this very moment all along! It actually surprised her to see him ask so...soon?

_Who cares! At least you know he likes you! _her mind shouted at her.

Suddenly, she snapped out of her speechless thinking state and realized that she still hadn't answered his question.

Shaking the previous thoughts away, she looked up at him.

"Uh...yeah... I am free," she responded accordingly. "Why?"

The last question seriously made her want to kill herself. She pulled on her scarf, trying to choke herself imperceptibly.

"Um..." started the blushing praetor. "Would you...like to...um...have d-dinner or...something...?" he asked, feeling as if he deserved to be slapped in the face after a stupid question like that.

And yet... 99.9 percent of him is practically begging her to say 'yes' ---- as if he'd die if she rejected him.

Rikku didn't even have to lay a single thought on that question. "Yes!" she almost yelled at him. "Um...I mean... Sure, of course... Why not? I mean it's not like I have anything to do on Saturdays..." she rambled, giggling nervously.

"Great!" replied Baralai, just as excited as she was. Then he pretended to keep his cool and cleared his throat again. "Uh...So... Shall I meet you... here? I-In Luca?" he questioned anxiously.

"Yeah...okay..." she agreed. "Um, on the bridge?"

"Sure...on the bridge."

"Seven thirty...?"

"Uh...yes! Yes...certainly. Seven thirty..." he repeated, making a mental note in his mind. "On the same bridge..."

"Okay..." was all the girl could think of saying.

"...Okay…" he followed. "So…...um... I'll see you then...R-Rikku..."

She nodded slowly. "Yeah...See ya..."

Baralai tried his hardest to keep calm, even as a thousand thoughts about their date ran about in his mind.

With one last shy smile he turned, and Rikku watched him walked away. Thoughts were forming in her head too, and she was really REALLY looking forward to the upcoming Saturday.

But as she watched him walk away, she felt disappointed that they weren't going to see each other until the date. To her, five days was more like five months.

"Baralai! Wait!" she called. (Now it was her turn to make 'split-second decisions'...)

Upon hearing his name, he stopped and spun around. Then Rikku walked up to him diffidently, and simply kissed him on the cheek.

"Bye Baralai. Thanks for being with me today," she said with a giggle. And with that, she walked off, leaving him standing there in awe.

* * *

END

Hehe... I don't know why, but rain emphasizes everything.  
Well, please review. Um...I'll try to remember to be a good author and reply...  
Oh! And don't kill me if I'm not able to update "Following Your Heart" this month...k...? Thanks!


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